Beowulf- A Pagan Novel Essays - Beowulf, Geats, Anglo-Saxon Paganism

Beowulf- a Pagan Novel Mike Beowulf: A Pagan Work The poem Beowulf was written in England sometime in the 8th century. It was written during a time when the society was in the process of being converted from paganism to Christianity. The Christian influences are combined with early folklore and heroic legends of Germanic tribes. Yet, the pagan elements in the epic poem Beowulf clearly overshadow the Christian elements, and it is visible in the characters superhuman personifications, their hunger for revenge, and their strong belief in fate. The main character, Beowulf, is depicted as a superhero in many of his extraordinary battles. During the battle with Grendel's mother, when Beowulf realizes that Unferth's sword is useless against the monsters thick skin, he grabs the best of all weapons / But so massive that no ordinary man could lift / Its carved and decorated length(1558-1561). This shows the significance of Beowulfs strength, because if it were any other man, they would not be able to lift this sword and kill Grendels mother. His strength is far superior to any other human, and therefore Beowulf fits the epic and pagan quality of being "head and shoulders" above the rest. Another instance where Beowulf demonstrates his superhero abilities, is his final battle with the dragon. Beowulf is a very old man by now and although he is, in the end, fatally wounded, he manages to deliver the final blow that kills the dragon. His lack of fear to fight the dragon by himself, is portrayed when he tells his friends to stay out side so they will not get injured. Even as an elderly person, Beowulf still has the same extraordinary courage and strength as earlier in the poem. And even with age, he has not lost the qualities that make him universally well known, and an outstanding hero. These battles are examples of epic folklore during pagan times. Another pagan element is visible in the craving for revenge by many of the Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf illustrates this wish for vengeance after Hrothgar loses one of his counselors to Grendel: Let your sorrow end! It is better for us all / To avenge our friends, not mourn them forever (1384-1385). This passage disproves the idea that Beowulf is a Christian poem, because taking an eye for an eye is not at all a Christian belief. Revenge is an idea promoted by Pagans, and was thought to be necessary to avenge to death of a friend. Another act of revenge is seen when Beowulf attempts to defeat the dragon after it wreaks havoc on the land of the Geats, causing much damage. Even though Beowulf was very old, the fame-hungry king was seeking retribution for the fury the dragon had lashed out onto his city. Beowulf is obviously very arrogant and hot-headed, and does not follow Christian ideas and beliefs. It is proven that this epic poem is a pagan work, because of the accepted seeking of revenge . One final pagan aspect of this poem, is the strong belief that everyone was in the hands of fate, the idea that your life is predetermined. For instance, when the men of Herot are awaiting Grendels wrath, Beowulf states, Fate will unwind as it must! (455). This shows that the warriors did not worry about what would happen, because they are unable to change what is already planned for the future. Beowulfs courage is also explained in this segment, since he could not alter the future no matter what he did, he was not afraid of what would happen. Another occasion where fate takes control is when the dragon kills Beowulf. He has lived a long and meaningful life, but this tragic event proves that everyone is in the hands of fate. This also negates the belief that Beowulf is a Christian poem, because the Christian belief is that ones life is in the hands of God, and is not determined by fate. Beowulf is clearly a pagan poem because it conveys standards that are almost the opposite of Christian beliefs. The pagan beliefs of the time are accepted and followed entirely. The very apparent aspects of this poem that make it pagan are, characters superhuman personifications, a strong belief in fate, and a longing

To What Extent Will High Salary Modify Workers

To What Extent Will High Salary Modify Workers Introduction The greatest asset for any organization is its personnel; persons who are involved in the daily running of the organization. It is in this regard therefore that there has been great interest in ways of maintaining a good working force which has led to studies and great inventions in Human Resource Management (Abowd, Kramarz Margolis, 1999).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Will High Salary Modify Workers? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Central to the Human Resource initiatives is the intention to motivate workers since performance is increased with proper motivation of workers. There are many different intentions and things that motivate workers no wonder Human Resource Departments of any organization are usually obsessed with the focus on different theories that help them understand how to motivate their workforce (Abowd, Kramarz Margolis, 1999). One of these areas of motivation for wo rkers’ performance is the monetary reward they receive for their work; salaries. This paper takes a critical look at how far high salaries for workers works towards improving their performance, productivity, motivation and overall job-satisfaction with the view of quantifying the increment of salaries as an element of employee motivation. Research Question There are many authorities that have written a lot about this issue given its centrality in corporate organizational performance and this paper will draw insights from some of these authorities to help in answering the research question which is, ‘to what extent will high salaries improve workers’ productivity?’ Henry Grant (1913) is one such authority that has tackled the issue of employee motivation through salary increment in depth in his book, Work, Wages and Profits. In the book, Grant argues that financial reward is one sure way of ensuring accountability and hard work for employees without using f orceful means, threats and coercion (Gantt, 1913). The basic reason given for this surmise is that increased salaries for workers create a level of appreciation in the workers as they are better placed to cater for their daily needs and are even enabled to afford higher-profile lifestyle. This inclusion of material things in the workers’ lives is the one that motivates them into working harder with the assured hope of financial appreciation for their performance (Gantt, 1913). In further discussing this human resource management issue, theories of employee motivation will be used to help answer the research question. For this, two of the theories of employee motivation that will be used will help to explain the effect of financial motivation on people’s behavior at their workplace. These theories are:Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Theory of Hie rarchy of Needs by Abraham Maslow The Theory of Motivation-Hygiene by Fredrick Herzberg These theories seek to explain the effect of improved salary on employees’ behaviour and extrapolate that effect to their performance and overall output at their places of work. According to the Theory of Hierarchy of Needs, Maslow surmises that provision of the needs of employees and guarantee of their (needs’) continued provision is the greatest motivator as to why people work. This means that instances where salaries are increased, workers’ motivation is increased and this in turn increases their productivity (Black, McKinnish Sanders, 2003). In the same breathe, Herzberg argues through the Theory of Motivation-Hygiene that poorly paid workers show little (if any) interest in their work and rarely grow economically and the corollary of this usually is reluctance to perform reducing the general output of their productivity (Black, McKinnish Sanders, 2003). They are dissa tisfied, deprived, lack sense of belonging in their workplaces and can therefore not afford modern and improved life due to their financial status. Black et al (2003) point out in their work that if low skilled workers are awarded high salaries, they are likely to increase output out of the motivation they receive in the remuneration perks they are given. These increased salaries in turn enhance their status which brings them comfort further encouraging them to do even better and this propels them into better performance. This shows that in essence, there is no difference between them and the skilled ones because since out of the motivation they receive, they can just be as perfect at their work as anyone else (Herzberg, 1987). In an expansive country like Saudi Arabia where there is a lot of competition, salary increases is a great factor that maintains workers to a given place for a given time (Herzberg, 1987). In a snapshot, these two theories point to one thing: the central plac e taken by salaries and wages in determining workers’ motivation. What is observed from increment of workers’ salaries can best be described as having some element of domino effect in that the increment triggers something into operation that affects everyone from the workers themselves to the entire corporation and eventually the market and industry they are in. Increased salaries increase workers’ motivation which in turn causes them to work harder increasing their productivity/output and this in turn increases the business’ profitability. When corporations and organizations are making appreciable profits in their respective fields, the general performance of the economy of the industry is improved and this positively contributes towards improving the entire economy (Abowd, Kramarz Margolis, 1999).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Will High Salary Modify Workers? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A social approach to the research question has been well explained by Maslow (1943) when he asserts that the one basic reason that people work is to survive. When they start earning, they seek to create a niche and establish themselves by making new friends with whom they seek to further improve their lives. Everyone who starts working usually has expectations of growing to greater economic and financial freedom through their places of work and therefore well remunerated employees have better job satisfaction thereby becoming better performers which increases their output (Maslow, 1943). The most important objective for any organization is to have its personnel at their optimal performance at all times and this is the reason a lot of money is spent in instituting strategies that implement theories that motivate workers to be at the very best they can ever be in any organization (Abowd, Kramarz Margolis, 1999). This has forced the professional world to have w orkers educated and informed about their rights as workers and this has caused them to demand reasonable salaries that befit the work they do for their employers. This demand is not only restricted to remunerations but also permeates such non-economic areas of workers’ lives as proper working conditions and workers’ rights. Bringing all these things into workers’ expectations makes motivation a complicated phenomenon that is highly dependent on individuals. Each individual having unique things and areas of interest that motivate them, motivation is therefore thought to be worker-specific in many regards and therefore conceptualizing it is not such an easy thing. This notwithstanding, remuneration is one area of need that remains constant for every worker in whatever place of work and therefore whatever model or theory is used to study worker motivation, salary and wage remuneration is always a factor that motivates every worker (Abowd, Kramarz Margolis, 1999). Other things such as praise and recognition, job security, dignified treatment, opportunity for expansion among others can be considered supplemental to monetary need. This is because good salary payment is a factor from which all other factors are likely to emanate from thereby acting as the mother determinant of employee motivation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion In conclusion, as regards the research question which is to what extent salary increment will increase employ performance, it can be strongly concluded that salary increase is among the core aspects of motivation that ensures workers’ increased performance and motivation. All other motivational strategies such as empowerment, opportunity creation, appraisals, and recognition among others stem from the remuneration benefits into such endeavours that give workers voice for recognition. It is therefore incumbent upon any organization to ensure that their salary and wage schemes are most favourable for their workforce to ensure optimal performance that translates into profitability for the organization. In this regard therefore, corroborated with the evidential discussion preceding, it is recommended that every employer accords salary and remuneration increment the attention it is due to ensure that their personnel are always performing at their best optimal level to e nsure maximal productivity and profitability. Reference List Abowd, J., M., Kramarz, F., Margolis, D., 1999. High Wage Workers and High Wage Firms, USA: Dept. of Labor Economics, Cornell University. Black, D., McKinnish, T., Sanders, S., 2003. ‘Does Availability of High-Wage for Low-Skilled Men Affect Welfare Expenditures?’ Harvard Business Review, 87, (9-10), pp. 1921-1942. Gantt, H., 1913. Work, Wages, and Profits: Their Influence on Cost of Living. USA: Dept. of Labor Economics, Cornell University. Herzberg, F., 1987. ‘One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?’ Harvard Business Review, (e-jounal) 1 (5). Web.

How you helped another person and realized that you benefited as well Essay

How you helped another person and realized that you benefited as well - Essay Example Martha was sitting on a chair, wearing a new track suite and her sports shoes, her hair neatly collected with a matching blue ribbon, seeming a bit reluctant and hesitant. I signaled Martha to join me and she followed me like a cat being taken for a bath. We walked our way to the nearby public park. I told Martha that we will have a swift walk for the next 30 minutes. Both of us started with a slow and steady pace and Martha seemed to be doing fine, until I fastened my pace. I soon realized that Martha was way behind me and though she tried hard to catch up with me, she seemed to be tired and fatigued. Somehow we finished our 30 minute walk, followed by some stretching exercises. We continued with this routine for the next 3 days, until that fateful Monday came. As usual, when I entered the Butler household that morning, I saw a distressed Mrs. Butler, trying to console a weeping and sobbing Martha. I was a bit confused and perplexed. Mrs. Butler told me that somehow Martha was not willing to join me for her daily walk. She said she was feeling unwell, and excused me. I came back home, felling a bit bad. I talked about the issue with my mother. When I told her about our experiences in the past 3 days, she listened to me with an understanding smile. She told me that I simply cannot help Martha until I learn to see things from her perspective. She told me that Martha was badly overweight and was not used to an active way of life, not to mention the health problems she faced. For a fit person like me, a 30 minute walk and some exercise may be a piece of cake, but, for Martha it was a big challenge. To help Martha, I need to get into her shoes and think like her. The next morning I went to collect Martha. She was looking at me apprehensively. I greeted her with a big smile and pat her shoulders. We went to the park and I told her that today there will be no exercises. Instead we will just walk around, enjoying that beautiful morning. I